By Bob Mackin | Prince George Citizen
A BC Supreme Court judge in Quesnel reserved sentence for a man who severely injured a younger co-worker at a New Year’s Eve party at their employer’s house.
Darcy Larry Edward Penner pleaded guilty Tuesday, April 1 to aggravated assault before Justice Marguerite Church.
Church heard an agreed statement of facts that said Penner, who was 37 at the time, punched a 17-year-old in the head around the time that partygoers were enjoying fireworks to ring in 2024. Penner knocked the victim to the ground and repeatedly punched him in the face while he lay on the ground. The victim was bloodied and his jaw broken.
The victim admitted that he gave Penner the finger around 11 p.m. and that Penner laughed. He believed the two were just playing around, but described the assault at midnight as a surprise. He admitted his memory of the attack was hazy, but believed he was punched more than five times, perhaps as many as 15.
The victim’s impact statement read in court described how he was unable to walk for three months or eat solid food for six weeks while his mouth was wired shut.
He lost three months of work and experienced intense pain after the surgery. “I cried so hard I could not help it,” he wrote. “I have no words for Darcy. I will always be speechless. I will always wonder why and what kind of 37-year-old does this to a 17-year-old. I’ll never get over this, it hurts me so very bad.”
The Crown proposed a 10-month jail term for Penner, followed by 14 months of probation. The defence proposed an 18-month conditional sentence order, to be served in the community under house arrest.
Church said she would deliver her sentencing decision on Thursday, April 3.
